Sloughi
A North African sighthound, lean and short coated, bred to hunt gazelle across desert. Reserved with strangers, and it attaches to one household completely.
Photo by Svenska Mässan, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Sloughi is a North African sighthound, kept by Berber peoples across Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya to course gazelle, hare and fox across desert. It is lean, elegant and built for speed over sand.
It is often confused with the Saluki and is a distinct breed with a distinct genetic history, and it is short coated where the Saluki is often feathered.
Temperament
Reserved, sensitive and deeply attached to its own household. Sloughis are aloof with strangers to a degree that reads as unfriendly, and they bond intensely to one or two people.
They are extremely sensitive and harsh handling damages the relationship rather than correcting behaviour. They are also sighthounds with a serious prey drive, and recall around moving animals is unreliable. They are quiet and dignified indoors.
Care and grooming
A short fine coat, a weekly rub down, minimal shedding.
Sighthound anaesthesia sensitivity applies. Progressive retinal atrophy has a DNA test and is a real concern in the breed. They feel the cold and need a coat and soft bedding. Ten to fifteen years.
Living and exercise
An hour a day with a gallop in a securely fenced space.
They are calm indoors and they are not off lead dogs. The breed is rare outside North Africa and the gene pool is narrow enough to be worth asking about.
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